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A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer
Published on: September 13, 2022
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Emerging cancer-specific therapeutic aptamers.
1aDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology bIrell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA.
Current Opinion in Oncology
|July 11, 2017
Summary
Smart aptamers offer targeted cancer therapy by delivering drugs specifically to tumor cells. These aptamers also aid in discovering cancer biomarkers and developing novel immunotherapies.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Aptamers are nucleic acid-based molecules that can bind to specific targets.
- Recent advancements have led to the development of aptamers with high tumor specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applications of tumor-specific aptamers in targeted cancer therapy.
- To highlight the use of aptamers in delivering novel therapeutic molecules, identifying cancer biomarkers, and advancing immunotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Selection of aptamers against cancer cells for tumor specificity.
- Functionalization of aptamers with therapeutic payloads (e.g., small activating RNAs, drugs, antibodies).
- Utilizing aptamer pull-down assays and mass spectrometry for biomarker discovery.
Main Results:
- Cancer-specific aptamers enable targeted delivery of therapeutics, minimizing side effects.
- Novel cancer biomarkers have been identified using aptamer-based methods.
- Alternative immune-checkpoint blockade aptamers show promise for combination immunotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Tumor-specific aptamers have significant potential for targeted cancer therapy and diagnostics.
- Aptamer-drug conjugates enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicity.
- Aptamers can be developed as biomarkers and for combinatorial immunotherapy to overcome resistance.
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